Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
Part of American Express Membership Rewards (US) hub
GUIDE
How to redeem points for cruises
Redeeming points for cruises means covering the cost of a sailing with points held in a credit card rewards programme. American Express, for example, lets card members use Pay with Points for travel booked through American Express Travel: the Card Account is charged for the purchase and a statement credit is then applied for the points used [5], while Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society separately awards Cruise Points for nights sailed, which it says never expire [3].
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Card points cover travel through the issuer's travel service: with Pay with Points, American Express charges the purchase to the Card Account, deducts the points and applies a statement credit for the value of those points [5].
- Cruise line loyalty runs on a separate ledger. Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society awards one Cruise Point per completed night of sailing, and two per night for suite bookings or for solo travellers paying a single price for a double-occupancy stateroom [3].
- Card-side redemptions are final: American Express states that redemptions cannot be reversed and that it does not operate or control the third-party programmes involved [5].
How do card points pay for a cruise booked through a travel portal?
In the Membership Rewards terms, Pay with Points can be used at checkout with participating brands or through American Express Travel [5]. The mechanics work the same way in either case: American Express charges the full purchase to the Card Account, deducts the points from the Rewards Account and applies a statement credit to reflect the points used [5]. If the points do not cover the whole cost, the difference stays charged to the card [5]. The terms give a worked example of a purchase where points cover part of the cost, showing the charge and statement credit on the Card Account [5].
Two conditions come before any of that. Using Pay with Points requires a charge to the Card Account and is subject to the Card Member Agreement, including credit limits, so a purchase that cannot be made on the card for any reason cannot be paid with Pay with Points [5]. And the redemption is final: once Pay with Points is used, it cannot be reversed, and the brand's own terms and conditions govern the booking [5].
On value, American Express notes that the value of points varies according to how they are used, and places responsibility for understanding all guidelines and restrictions on the card member before redeeming [5]. That makes the comparison between the points a sailing would absorb and the cash price a step to take before confirming, not after.
What happens if a points booking is refunded?
Refunds are handled as statement credits rather than as an automatic return of points. If any portion of a purchase paid with Pay with Points is refunded, the card member receives a statement credit in the amount of the refund on the Card Account, and can call the number on the back of the card to have points reinstated instead [5]. The credit may appear in a different billing cycle from the original charge, and the minimum amount due must still be paid on each statement by its due date in the meantime [5].
Beyond that refund rule, the terms are explicit that a used Pay with Points redemption cannot be reversed and that the brand's terms and conditions apply to the purchase [5]. The booking provider's own conditions therefore decide what a cancelled sailing costs.
How does cruise line loyalty work alongside a points booking?
Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society is free to join, and the line says points never expire [3]. Cruise Points are added to the account within 30 days after the cruise, and a member who reaches a new loyalty tier while on board gets the new benefits starting from the next sailing [3]. The rate of earning depends on the stateroom and the pricing type [3]:
| How the night is booked | Cruise Points |
|---|---|
| Any completed night of sailing | 1 |
| Suite accommodation in categories RL, RS, PS, SL, TS, A1, A2, A3, CL, OS, FS, GS or JS | 2 |
| Any category booked at a single pricing type for a double-occupancy stateroom | 2 |
The programme sets thresholds at 3, 30, 55, 80, 175 and 700 Cruise Points [3]. A co-branded card, the Royal ONE Visa Signature, earns points that can be redeemed for cruise discounts or for onboard credit covering excursions, dining, drinks, Wi-Fi and spa treatments [3].
Can you move cruise points between Royal Caribbean Group brands?
Points Choice lets Crown & Anchor members apply points earned on a sailing to one of three programmes: Crown & Anchor, Celebrity Cruises' Captain's Club or Silversea Cruises' Venetian Society [3]. Members must be 18 or older, must already be enrolled in the programme receiving the points, and must submit the request at any time before the sailing up to 14 days after disembarkation [3]. The sailing must depart on or after 30 January 2026, and exchange rates are set by stateroom category and published annually [3].
Separately, Royal Caribbean Group runs a one-for-one tier match across the three brands, and asks members to allow up to seven days for the matched status to take effect [3]. Points are still earned the same way, by stateroom category and nights sailed, and no action is needed to keep them with the brand that was sailed [3].
Exceptions and limits
- If the only card product linked to a Rewards Account is a Legacy Card, Pay with Points is available only for American Express Travel and not with other participating brands [5].
- Points in a Rewards Account do not belong to the card member: they cannot be transferred to someone else's Rewards Account, sold, or passed on through divorce, inheritance or bankruptcy [5].
- Cancelling or unenrolling the last linked product means losing all points in the Rewards Account immediately [5].
- Membership Rewards transfers go to participating partner loyalty programmes such as those offered by airlines and hotels; in most cases transfers must be at least 1,000 points and in multiples of 1,000, and processing typically takes 48 hours although some programmes post points more slowly [5]. All transfers are final and cannot be reversed, so availability and the points needed should be checked before completing a transfer [6].
- Crown & Anchor tier benefits earned on board begin only on the next sailing, not the current one [3].
Frequently asked questions
Can card points pay for a cruise?
Pay with Points can be used for travel booked through American Express Travel, where the Card Account is charged for the purchase and a statement credit is applied for the points used [5]. Once used, that redemption cannot be reversed and the brand's terms and conditions apply [5].
Do Crown & Anchor Cruise Points expire?
Royal Caribbean says membership is free to join and points never expire [3]. Cruise Points post to the account within 30 days after the cruise [3].
Can Crown & Anchor points be moved to Celebrity or Silversea?
Yes, through Points Choice, for sailings departing on or after 30 January 2026, with the request made any time before the sailing up to 14 days after disembarkation [3]. The member must be 18 or older and already enrolled in the receiving programme [3].
What happens to points if part of a points booking is refunded?
The card member gets a statement credit for the refunded amount and can ask for the points to be reinstated instead by calling the number on the back of the card [5].
Sources
Sources checked on 18 October 2026. Cruise line loyalty schemes other than Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society, and card rewards programmes other than American Express Membership Rewards, are not covered here; see the cruise loyalty programmes guide.
- Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor Society programme page, checked 18 October 2026
- American Express Membership Rewards Program Terms and Conditions, checked 18 October 2026
- American Express: How do I transfer Membership Rewards points?, checked 18 October 2026